swaps

A little while ago I told you all that I was taking part in the Dutch Sisters Pillow Swap. Well my cushion arrived at the end of last week and lovely it is too! It came all the way from Canada from Lee. We had to say what our favourite colours were in the initial email and I have to say that Lee definitely included all my favourite colours! Green, duck egg blue and brown are all there! :)

Lee also included these lovely fabric cards that she makes!
I would just like to thank her very much for the gorgeous cushion and also for the pretty cards.

Now that Lee has received the cushion I sent her I can show you my effort and I have to say I’m quite pleased with myself on this one!! In Lee’s email she said that she would prefer a fabric cushion to one knitted or crocheted. I have to say I panicked a bit at this as knitting and crochet are what I do but I had a go at what is a very simple patchwork and applique cushion. Lee also said she liked traditional colours and that a Christmas cushion would be quite nice. I think and I hope it turned out ok, probably to the eye of a professional it will have many faults but I did my best!

You’re maybe wondering now will I be taking up sewing, patchwork and applique! Well the answer to that is absolutely not, sewing bag linings are as far as I’m going with the sewing! Give me my needles, hooks and yarn any day!! :)

Hope you’re all having a great week and are managing to stay warm. It was -12 deg C here last night and it’s supposed to get colder tonight! Brrrrr! Although the forecast said it should be up to 8 deg by Saturday, that’s practically tropical!!! :)

I don’t know I can’t seem to get much crafting done at the minute. Too much washing, ironing, cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping and other such boring things!! I have however managed to complete these little blue cotton roses, at the request of a dear friend, thanks Mia for getting me motivated ! :)

I still have a lot of unfinished items sitting about which hopefully will get completed soon.

Now you’ve seen the blue roses so what about the pink?
Well look at this little fighter……..

…….. in bud in all this dreadful weather. I don’t know if it will make it into flower after all the torrential rain and gales we’ve had and are forecast still to get but bless it, it’s trying!

When I was in the greenhouse to photograph my corsages (good daylight with the added benefit of being warm and dry), I noticed my geraniums still in bloom but they’re quite cosy inside away from the elements. Actually the photos look like they were taken on a summer’s day (I wish). At least they’re something bright to look at on a grey day, we can do with all the brightness we can get these days. Like the wonderful news of the royal engagement of Prince William and Kate Middleton, another bit of brightness on a grey day! I’m so looking forward to their wedding, oh I do love a royal wedding! :)

Finally I’ll leave with this little pile which is destined to become a cushion cover for the Dutch Sisters Pillow Swap. My swap partner stated that she didn’t want a knitted or crocheted cushion which is a bit unfortunate as that is my ‘thing’. The extent of my sewing is to sew up a lining for my bags which isn’t that testing! I’ll just have to pretend that it’s a big bag lining!!
I’ll let you see how I get on!

A few weeks ago I received my very beautiful gifts for the Spring Surprise Swap from Jean which you can read about in this post.
Today I’d like to show you the gifts I sent to Jean, now that I know she has received them and I’m not going to ruin her surprise!

I handknitted Jean one of my little bags and then crocheted a matching corsage.

I also knitted her a loopy scarf.

As part of the swap we had to send our partners two fat quarters of fabric so I tried to chose two fabrics that for me represented Spring!

Finally I added a few more little surprises!

I would like to thank the Dutch Sisters, Corry and Heleen for all the hard work they put into organising the swap.
Not only has it been great fun taking part in it but it has also been great fun getting to know my swap partner, Jean!

Today the postman brought me this very enticing parcel.
I immediately loved it as it had a lovely bunny on the front!
I soon realised the parcel was from my Spring Surprise Swap partner, Jean.

It was tempting to rip all the paper off and see what was inside but I knew I had to take my time and photograph the whole process.

Firstly, we had the two fat quarters that we all had to include in our packages as part
of the swap.
Jean very kindly sent me two Amy Butler fabrics in beautiful shades of green (my favourite colour).

Next was a vintage tea towel beautifully hand embroidered in cross stitch by Jean
with my initials and my favourite animals, two sweet little bunnies! x

Now folks look at this gift, a most exquisite bag made by Jean in gorgeous Amy Butler fabrics!
Isn’t it just fantastic!
Jean says she has never made a bag before but you wouldn’t think that to look at this bag.
It is lined and has lots of pockets for keeping bits and pieces in and it too has a lovely
little cross stitch panel on the front.

Jean also included a lovely hand made card with some delicious cinnamon tea, which I’m looking forward to.
Can I just take this opportunity to thank Jean so much for all her lovely gifts to me and for the time and thought that went into them.
She has been so kind and generous and it has been great getting to know her!
Thanks, Jean! xxx

I’m delighted to be taking part in a swap organised by Corry at Dutch Blue and her sister Heleen at Dutch Colours.
I have been paired with Jean from New York and am looking forward to hearing from her and to the swap which takes place in March.